First Impressions

but not for heroes with its interesting and complex battles

Why?

Why are there so many videos and guides on clearing out castles, crypts, etc. for the third game? But I don't know if there's anything similar for the fifth game?

The fifth game is less deterministic in this regard, and that's a good thing. The ability to create a guide that, when followed, guarantees victory in a particular map is a drawback. You just repeat it and get success. But it's not clear how the initiative scale is to blame here... The system of the third or seventh game is just a degenerate case where all creatures have the same initiative (with an accuracy of a small number that determines the turn order, but does not allow creatures to "mix" on the scale).

And in general, why didn't such a "brilliant" scale catch on in the 6th and 7th parts?

The transition of features from one part to another is not very well correlated with how good these features are (although it is correlated).

In short, if you don't like to calculate and you like to play "for fun" (or just for fun), then of course, the ATB scale is the best, it immediately shows who goes after whom, you don't have to calculate or memorize anything... it's casual.

So, is the problem with the fifth game's system its non-determinism, or, on the contrary, its excessive determinism? I don't understand... And what can you calculate in the classic turn-based system, a creature's double turn after waiting? :D